July 9, 2013

I'll let you in on a silly little secret: I'm a little intimidated by braiding (and knitting and sewing and just about anything that requires good hand-eye coordination or spatial visualization ability or any talent with crafts whatsoever). I've never actually mastered anything more complex than your typical, run of the mill hair braid, and I'm not even super great at that (my mother never sent me to summer camp, okay?). It's fine, really. I have many lovely qualities. Also, freckles, which everyone knows are a fine substitute for talent.

July 8, 2013

Having been lucky enough to have grown up in St. Petersburg, I've seen The Birchwood take on several different forms, from hotel to apartments to a private club with a modern speakeasy theme. It was originally constructed in 1924 as the Lantern Lane Apartments, the largest apartment homes in St. Petersburg of their day, and the only apartments along Beach Drive facing Tampa Bay at the time.
The Spanish Mission-style building is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, and its transformation to The Birchwood saw it taking on a renovation of historically accurate dimensions, plus the addition of two floors. The historic building now houses a boutique hotel (The Birchwood), a restaurant, Birch & Vine, and The Canopy Rooftop Lounge.

Locals have begun to flock to Birch & Vine for great food, which is sourced locally whenever possible. I've been singing the praises of their sweet and spicy sweet potato fries since shortly after they opened, and for good reason - they're drizzled with local honey and spiced with a house mix comprised of what I can only assume is magic and fairy dust. They are that good. The House Cheeseburger is made with Niman Ranch beef, aged cheddar, house-made pickle, and grain mustard-ketchup, and is a meal unto itself.

You can wait until after lunch, or bypass the restaurant entirely and head straight up to The Canopy, where a more casual menu and full bar can be found, along with an absolutely splendid view of Tampa Bay, Beach Drive, and its adjacent parks. There, you can kick back in a private cabana, or relax on a couch in front of the fire pit.

Either way, you'll want to sip something special from the bar, like the Asian Mojito or Vintage Blackberry Mint Julep, if you please, or a vodka cranberry, if you like to keep it simple.